Michael Jackson: His Biggest Hit Songs · Guardian Liberty Voice Share on Facebook Follow on Facebook Add to Google+ Connect on Linked in Subscribe by Email Print This Post Michael Jackson was a true legend in pop music and pop culture. It has been almost five years since he passed away at 50, but his inspiration still leaves an impact on many. In honor of his upcoming album Xscape, it is time to take a look at some of the legend’s biggest hit songs and why these songs had such a lasting impression. From his early days as a member of The Jackson 5 to his final years, he was more than just an entertainer. He represented the music industry and gave everyone what they wanted. Thriller (the single off his Thriller album) was one of the singer’s most memorable hit songs. The track blends synthesizers with bass lines to create a dance hit. What really set this song apart from many other pop songs is the haunting effects that sounded like wind and howling dogs. To match the song’s sound, John Landis was tapped to direct the music video. Landis previously directed horror film American Werewolves in London.

Although the video was much longer at 14 minutes, it provided an epic narrative featuring Jackson and model/actress Ola Ray. Perhaps the most memorable part of the music video was when he did a choreographed number with other dancers dressed up as zombies. Smooth Criminal was song number 7 from Jackson’s 1987 album Bad. Like most of his greatest hits, this song provided a fast pace sound. He wrote the song which was about a ‘smooth criminal’ attacking a person inside their home. Although the track only made it to number 7 on the Billboard charts, it is still considered one of greatest hit songs ever. P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing) was another huge hit off the Thriller album. Originally, this track was written by Greg Phillanganes and Jackson, but fellow music legend Quincy Jones decide to rewrite that song with the same title with the help of James Ingram. The track peaked at number 10 on the Billboard charts and fared even better in Belgium where it landed at number 6. This song has since been covered by many different artists. Human Nature was yet another big hit of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album.

Unlike many of his other hit songs, this particular track had a slower pace and a more haunting feel to it. It was described by music reviewers as a smooth ballad that was one of the more memorable adult contemporary tracks of the decade. This song was composed by famed songwriter John Bettis and Toto’s Steve Pocaro. Although this song topped charts in the United States, it was not released in the United Kingdom. The Way You Make Me Feel was a big hit from Michael Jackson’s Bad album in the late 1980s and it topped the charts in early 1988. This track was the third consecutive release to become a number 1 hit from Bad. Like Thriller, this track had a memorable music video. The video for this was directed by Joe Pytka and features choreography from Vincent Patterson. This music video was up for nomination at the 1988 MTV Music Awards Ceremony, however he lost to his sister Janet Jackson, who scored a win for The Pleasure Principle. The aforementioned songs were not Michael Jackson’s only hits, but certainly a handful of his biggest and most memorable.

Opinion by Anna Peel 11 Directors Who Collaborated with Michael Jackson | Mental Floss 11 Directors Who Collaborated with Michael Jackson Getty Images Like us on Facebook Michael Jackson was, unquestionably, one of the most influential artists in modern pop music. His world-wide hits and record-breaking albums gave him the power to push the medium of the music video farther than any musical artist before or after him. During his genre-pushing career on film and television, Jackson worked with 11 high-profile directors to create unique and groundbreaking content. 1. Bob Giraldi When CBS refused to finance Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” video, the singer ended up putting $150,000 of his own money down on the project. He asked Bob Giraldi to write and direct the video after Jackson saw a commercial Giraldi had directed. "As I was told, there was a certain spot that I directed in my early years as a commercial director for WLS-TV in Chicago, about two elderly blind people—a married couple—that didn't run from a neighborhood that all the other white folks fled from," Giraldi said .

"It had become a very inner city, tough neighborhood and they chose to stay and throw a block party for all the young kids in the neighborhood. It was a commercial that Michael was really taken with." Giraldi based “Beat It,” his first music video, on his upbringing in New Jersey. 2. John Landis An American Werewolf in London director John Landis also directed Jackson's nearly 14-minute-long ghoul-fest, “Thriller.” Jackson decided to call Landis after seeing An American Werewolf in London; the singer enjoyed the film’s mix of gruesome transformation horror and comedy. Ever the self-documentarian, Jackson’s camp had the entire production filmed for a making-of video that was paired with its VHS release . 3. and 4. George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola In 1986, George Lucas took a break from working on his original Star Wars trilogy to work with The Godfather and Apocalypse Now director Francis Ford Coppola and Michael Jackson on a long-form music video—a sci-fi 3D epic called Captain EO—for Disneyland. Coppola and Lucas tailored the story of a space captain spreading love and music through the universe to fit a list of possible shots developed by Walt Disney Imagineering.

Anjelica Huston was brought on to play the evil Supreme Leader in almost unrecognizable make-up. Because of its use of both 3D and in-theater effects (like smoke, lasers, and compressed air), Captain EO is considered the first theme-park “4D” film. It played from 1986 to 1994 and was brought back to Disneyland after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009. You can watch a documentary about the making of Captain EO here . 5. Martin Scorsese Most people know Michael Jackson’s “BAD” video as Jackson dancing around an abandoned parking lot with his West Side Story-type gang—because that was the version of the video that was played most on MTV. The full “BAD” video was directed in its entirety by Martin Scorsese and features a young Wesley Snipes. Jackson plays Darryl, a kid who just got back from an expensive private school and is hanging with his friends who are still partaking in urban petty crime. After a failed mugging on the subway, Darryl and his friend Mini Max (Snipes) argue about how Darryl isn’t “bad” anymore—cut to music video.

The full video debuted on a CBS special on August 31, 1987. 6. David Fincher The 1992 video for “Who Is It?” off Michael Jackson’s Dangerous is Fincher-esque in ways that wouldn’t be recognized as David Fincher hallmarks until over a decade later. The opening time-lapse of cityscapes echoes Panic Room, The Social Network, and House of Cards. The full version of the music video finds Jackson mistaking his girlfriend’s secret life as an escort for her cheating on him and hints at suicide at the end. It was a shocking enough video from Jackson that the original had to be released on VHS; the video that aired on TV in the U.S. was censored by editing in clips of past performances. 7. Spike Lee Jackson and director Spike Lee connected on the social issues of the song “They Don’t Care About Us” off HIStory: Book 1. They planned a shoot in a Rio de Janeiro favela, but Brazilian state authorities attempted to block the video’s production . The Secretary of Industry, Commerce, and Tourism wanted final cut of the video, fearing media attention to the poverty of the favelas would hurt tourism.

A judge blocked all filming, but his ruling was overturned by injunction, and Lee and Jackson were able to complete production. After the controversy, Jackson made an alternate video for the U.S. that featured him in a jail and alluded to human rights violations. 8. Stan Winston Stan Winston, late special effects master and Pumpkinhead director, was at the helm of Jackson’s short film/music video "Ghosts" in 1996. Co-written by Stephen King, the film included dance sequences, ghost effects, and Jackson in a fat suit, and featured the songs “Ghosts,” “2 Bad,” and “Is It Scary” off the HIStory and Blood On The Dance Floor albums. The film runs 39 minutes and was screened out of competition at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. 9. Mark Romanek After bad press from child abuse accusations in 1993, Jackson wrote the song “Scream” to address the media.

Jackson usually conceptualized his own music videos, but he left the concept of “Scream” to director Mark Romanek, who was hot off the music videos for Nine Inch Nails' “Closer” and Madonna’s “Rain.” Romanek put Jackson and his sister Janet on a large spaceship with futuristic recreation rooms, and they perform as their vessel flees the pettiness of Earth. 10. Kenny Ortega The director of Hocus Pocus and the High School Musical trilogy also helmed Jackson’s final on-screen effort, This Is It. A planned series of 50 concerts at London’s O2 Arena were never performed because of Jackson’s death, but Ortega had been documenting the making of the live show and managed to edit the footage together into a heartwarming film that served as a fitting farewell retrospective. 11. Barry Sonnenfeld Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, and director Barry Sonnenfeld had a legitimate hit on their hands in 1997’s Men In Black. According to Smith, Jackson called him after seeing the movie and said it was one of the most creative things he’d ever seen.

Jackson told Smith that if there was a part two, he wanted to be involved—it didn’t matter what character he played. Sonnenfeld wrote Jackson into the sequel as an alien agent . John Landis - IMDb IMDb Producer | Director | Actor John Landis began his career in the mail room of 20th Century-Fox. A high-school dropout, 18-year-old Landis made his way to Yugoslavia to work as a production assistant on Kelly's Heroes (1970). Remaining in Europe, Landis found work as an actor, extra and stuntman in many of the Spanish/Italian "spaghetti" westerns. Returning to the US, he made ... See full bio » Born: a list of 30 people created 23 Apr 2011 a list of 35 people created 04 Sep 2012 a list of 43 people created 11 Dec 2013 a list of 27 people created 09 Feb 2015 a list of 24 people created 4 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How much of John Landis's work have you seen?

User Polls Won 1 Primetime Emmy. Another 7 wins & 14 nominations. See more awards » Known For | Edit Filmography 1996 The Munsters' Scary Little Christmas (TV Movie) (executive producer) 1990-1996 Dream On (TV Series) (executive producer - 119 episodes) 1995 Michael Jackson: Video Greatest Hits - HIStory (Video documentary) (producer - segment "Thriller") 1995 Sliders (TV Series) (executive producer - 9 episodes) - The Weaker Sex (1995) ... (executive producer) - Eggheads (1995) ... (executive producer) 1986 Fuzzbucket (TV Movie) (executive producer) 1985 Clue (executive producer) 1982 Coming Soon (Video documentary) (producer) Hide 1985 Disneyland's 30th Anniversary Celebration (TV Movie documentary) 1985 B.B.

King: Into the Night (Video documentary short) (segments "Into the night", "My Lucille", "In the midnight hour") 2013 Destruction: Las Vegas (TV Movie) Salesman #1 2010 The Boondocks (TV Series) Counseling Group Leader 1997 Quicksilver Highway (TV Movie) Surgical Assistant 1994 The Stand (TV Mini-Series) Russ Dorr - Michael Jackson Tribute Special (2009) ...

(director: archive footage - archive footage) 1996-1997 Sliders (TV Series) (executive consultant - 38 episodes) 1970 Kelly's Heroes (production assistant - uncredited) Hide 1998 Susan's Plan (written by) 1998 Blues Brothers 2000 (film The Blues Brothers) / (written by) 1998 Blues Brothers 2000 (lyrics: "John The Revelator") 1973 Schlock (lyrics: "See You Next Wednesday") Hide 1970 Kelly's Heroes (assistant director - uncredited) Hide 1998 Blues Brothers 2000 (executive music producer) Hide 2016 No Reasons (grateful acknowledgment) 2016 Ask the StoryBots (TV Series) (special thanks - 6 episodes) 2015 Shooting the Warwicks (special thanks) 2015 Stairways (Short) (special thanks) 2012 The Captured Bird (Short) (special thanks) 2012 Grabbers (special thanks) 2011

 Solo hay una (Short) (very special thanks) 2011/II Animal (Short) (special thanks) 2011 Noch' Naprolyot (Short) (acknowledgment) 2010 Werebitches (Short) (special thanks) 2008 Animal House: The Inside Story (TV Movie) (special thanks) 2007 Homo Erectus (the producers wish to thank) 1998 The Making of 'Blues Brothers 2000' (Video documentary short) (special thanks) 1995 Mallrats (the director would like to thank: for giving me something to do throughout my youth on Friday nights) 1991 The Dark Backward (grateful acknowledgment) 1988 Waxwork (dedicated to - as Landis) 1982 Eating Raoul (the producers wish to thank) Hide 2016 Días de cine (TV Series) Himself 2013 Greatest Ever Christmas Movies (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2013 The Nation's Favourite Dance Moment (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2012 Bergmans video (TV Mini-Series documentary

) Himself (2012) 2012 Inside Horror (TV Series) Himself - Guest 2011 The Future of Fear (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2011 The Wright Stuff (TV Series) Himself - Guest Panelist 2011 Loose Women (TV Series) Himself 2011 Nightmare Factory (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1996-2010 Biography (TV Series documentary) Himself / Himself - Director, Animal House / Himself - Director - John Belushi (2010) ...

Himself - Director, Animal House 2009 Teen Spirit: Teenagers and Hollywood (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2009 Fawlty Exclusive: Basil's Best Bits (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2008 Starz Inside: Ladies or Gentlemen (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Filmmaker 2008 Starz Inside: Fantastic Flesh (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2008 Séries express (TV Series) Himself 2006-2008 Secret's Out (TV Series) Himself / Himself - Guest 2007 Greatest Ever 80s Movies (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2007 Bloodsucking Cinema (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2007 British Film Forever (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 2007 TV Land Confidential (TV Series documentary) Himself - Interviewee 2007 Trading Places: Dressing the Part (Video documentary short) Himself 2007 Trailers from Hell (TV Series) Himself - Host 2006 The 50 Greatest Comedy Films (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2005 The Perfect Scary Movie (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2

005 Animal Icons (TV Series documentary) Himself 2005 Remembering John (Video documentary short) Himself 2005 Transposing the Music (Video documentary short) Himself 2005 Movies' Greatest Cars (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2004 Mario Bava: Operazione paura (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2004 Unseen + Untold: The Blues Brothers (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2004 The 100 Scariest Movie Moments (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 2003 The 100 Greatest Musicals (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2003 The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2003 Dinner for Five (TV Series) Himself 2003 This Is Your Life (TV Series documentary) Himself 2002 Forever Ealing (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Interviewee 2002 Masters of Horror (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2002 The Essential Michael Jackson (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Director 'Thriller' 2002 VH-1 Behind the Movie (TV Series documentary) Himself 200

2 The Big Breakfast (TV Series) Himself 2002 It's Black Entertainment (TV Special documentary) Himself 2001 I Love 1980's (TV Series documentary) Himself 1998 The Abbey Road Story (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1997 A-Z of Horror (TV Mini-Series documentary) Himself 1997 Les deniers du culte (TV Movie documentary) Narrator (voice) Director ('Black or White' video) 1995 Eek!stravaganza (TV Series) 1992 Heartstoppers: Horror at the Movies (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1990 The Horror Hall of Fame (TV Movie documentary) Himself - Presenter 1988 Stand-up Comics Take a Stand (TV Special documentary) Himself 1986 Stephen King's World of Horror (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1985 B.B.

King: Into the Night (Video documentary short) Himself / SAVAK 1979 Fantasy Film Festival (TV Series) Himself 1978 Good Morning America (TV Series) Himself 2012 Too Young to Die (TV Series documentary) Himself 2009 Cinemassacre's Monster Madness (TV Series documentary) Radio Technician 2009 Michael Jackson (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2007 20 to 1 (TV Series documentary) Himself 2005 Entertainment Tonight (TV Series) Himself 2003 The Michael Jackson Story (TV Movie documentary) Himself 2003 Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies (TV Movie documentary) Himself 1994 Great Performances (TV Series) Leonard Winesop Music video: Directed Michael Jackson video "Thriller" See more » Publicity Listings: 2 Biographical Movies | 4 Print Biographies | 1 Portrayal | 15 Interviews | 7 Articles | 1 Pictorial | See more » Alternate Names: Did You Know?

Personal Quote: I always loved those 1960s films and the things Richard Lester had done with The Beatles , and I conceived An American Werewolf in London (1981) with that spirit in mind. London was horror central, of course, home of Jack the Ripper, Jekyll and Hyde, so I wanted all that Victorian Gothic, but I also wanted to show the real London of 1981. See more » Trivia: Once worked as an attendant in a parking lot. See more » Trademark: Michael's Rise To Fame - MIchael Jackson is the World MIchael Jackson is the World Gone To Soon... Michael Becomes #1 Despite Jackson's individual achievements and the group's great success, there was trouble between the Jacksons and their record company. Tensions mounted between Gordy and Joseph Jackson over the management of his children's careers, and their level of participation in making their music. The Jacksons wanted more control over their recordings, which led to most of the Jacksons breaking ties with Motown in 1975.

Jermaine Jackson remained with the label and continued to pursue a solo career, having previously released several albums—none of which had matched the success of his younger brother Michael. Now calling themselves the Jacksons, the group signed a new recording deal with Epic Records. With 1978's Destiny, Michael Jackson and his brothers (which by now included younger brother Randy) emerged as talented songwriters, penning all of the record's tracks. Working with producer Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson wowed the music world with his next solo album, 1979's Off the Wall. It featured an infectious blend of pop and funk with such hit tracks as the Grammy Award-winning "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough," "Rock with You," and the title track. He also found success with the ballad "She's Out of My Life." The overwhelmingly positive response to Michael's latest solo album also helped buoy the Jacksons' career as well. Triumph (1980) sold more than one million copies, and the brothers went on an extensive tour to support the recording. Jackson, however, began to branch out on his own more.

Teaming up with rock legend Paul McCartney, Jackson sang on their 1982 duet, "The Girl Is Mine," which nearly reached the top of the pop charts. The song also appeared on his next solo album, Thriller (1982), which generated seven top 10 hits. On a television special honoring Motown, Jackson performed "Billie Jean"—eventually a number one hit—and debuted his soon-to-be-famous dance move called the moonwalk. Jackson, a veteran performer by this time, created this step himself and choreographed the dance sequences for the video of his other No. 1 hit, "Beat It." His most elaborate video, however, was for the album's title track. John Landis directed the horror-tinged video, which featured complex dance scenes, special effects, and a voice-over done by actor Vincent Price. The video for "Thriller" became immensely popular, boosting sales for the already successful album. It stayed on the charts for 80 weeks, holding the No. 1 spot for 37 weeks. In addition to its unparalleled commercial achievements, Thriller earned 12 Grammy Award nominations and won eight of those awards.

Jackson's Grammy victories showcased the diverse nature of his work. For his songwriting talents, he received the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song for "Billie Jean." Jackson also won Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for "Thriller" and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male for "Beat It." With co-producer Quincy Jones, he shared the Grammy Award for Album of the Year John Landis says Michael Jackson was too ‘grotesque’ to film John Landis says Michael Jackson was too... | Jun 14, 2013 | Vote 0 0 John Landis says Michael Jackson was too ‘grotesque’ to film Thriller video maker refused singer’s request to work together again THRILLER next play/pause pre Hamilton Spectator Thriller director John Landis rejected Michael Jackson's plea to make another film together because he was appalled by the pop superstar's "grotesque" face, ruined by cosmetic surgery. The "desperate" request from Jackson came less than two years before his June 2009 death, Landis told the Star, at a time when Jackson was hoping to revive his stagnant career.

"I went and met with him, and he asked me if I would do another film with him and he was so disfigured by then, it was so grotesque what he had done to himself," Landis said from Los Angeles. "He had no nose! It was like the Phantom of the Opera! He wore a little (nose) piece. I was so horrified. You look at the cover of Off the Wall (his 1979 album): this was a good-looking guy!" Landis said he already knew that Jackson had gone "completely crazy" at some point after they'd teamed for the award-winning 1983 Thriller music video , because he'd worked with him again in 1991, directing Jackson's Black or White video . "I still liked him, but he lived on another planet." It wasn't until Landis met him again in 2007 that he realized just how much more damage Jackson had inflicted upon himself through excessive cosmetic surgery. It's believed that Jackson had a dozen or more nose jobs alone in the decades his death from cardiac arrest at age 50 in 2009, although he admitted to just two such procedures. "Just that self-loathing . . .

he bleached his skin! He was a black guy when I met him! I found him such a tragic figure. I liked him, but I was heartbroken and truthfully I couldn't figure out a way to shoot him (for a new film)." Jackson tried to persuade Landis to work with him, offering complete creative control, but the plea didn't work. "He wanted to do whatever I wanted . . . he felt he had done good work with me and he just was desperate. He clearly was not in good health." Landis, 62, made the Jackson revelations during an interview to advance his July 18 Toronto visit for the Animal House reunion at TIFF Bell Lightbox. The 1978 frat-boy comedy, which Landis directed and which made the late John Belushi a movie star, was the first of a string of hits by the Chicago-born filmmaker, who also helmed The Blues Brothers, An American Werewolf in London and Trading Places. Based on the title track of Jackson's record-breaking 1982 Thriller album, the video was an immediate smash upon its December 1983 release, despite having a running time far exceeding the three-minute standard for pop tunes and videos.

The Thriller video would go on to win many awards and "best video ever" accolades, including a 2009 admission by the Library of Congress to the National Film Registry , the first music video to be so honoured. A 45-minute documentary The Making of Thriller, produced in 1983 by Landis and also co-starring him, would go on to reap sales and awards kudos of its own. Landis first met Jackson after the pop superstar had seen his 1981 comedy-horror hybrid An American Werewolf in London. Jackson was impressed by the werewolf faces created by the film's Oscar-winning makeup man Rick Baker, and he wanted to do something similar with Landis and Baker. At that time, Jackson's desire to look grotesque was make-believe, not reality. "He just wanted to turn into a monster," Landis said.

"I realized immediately that, gosh, this guy's celebrity is so gigantic, instead of doing a little needle-drop video, a classic music video, I would much rather make a theatrical short, a 'two-reeler.' "And I thought that hopefully we could use Michael's celebrity to bring back theatrical shorts, because I love shorts." But Landis discovered that even a Michael Jackson project could hit a road block. Walter Yetnikoff, then the president of CBS Records, objected to the $500,000 proposed budget of this "vanity video," because regular music videos at the time cost between $20,000 to $50,000 to make. "Walter Yetnikoff literally said, 'We've made all the money (from the Thrilleralbum), f--- you.' And it was a union shoot and very ambitious. I wanted the dancers to have at least a week's rehearsal, that's expensive. "The makeup call at that time was the biggest makeup call in history, although I think that (record) has been passed. We had like 40 makeup artists. It went big! . . .

We were able to raise the money by selling The Making of Thriller to Showtime, which was a brand new cable channel." Landis says he has mostly fond memories of Jackson, even though he ended up suing him and later Jackson's estate for $2.3 million (U.S.) he felt he was owed from Thriller's immense success. The suit was settled last year for an undisclosed sum. "On Thriller, I think I was never paid. I own half of it. My deal was with Michael's company and Michael's company was mismanaged. . . . I mean, I just received my Thriller money — or I should say my 30 per cent Thriller money — last year. It was finally settled. I was suing him for 14 years." Landis had just turned 33 when the Thriller video was released, just eight years older than Jackson, yet he felt a lot older than him. "It was like dealing with a gifted 10-year-old. He really was childlike. And he was emotionally damaged: he was an abused kid and had a very difficult childhood. But when I made Thriller, he hadn't gone totally crazy yet. "He still had a lot of joy within him.

He wasn't that intense yet. He was tortured, but he was happy-go- lucky for a lot of it. He worked very hard. He was just great. If you see The Making of Thriller, you see I treated him like a kid, which is what he was. And I really liked him." Landis still has plans for Thriller, despite everything. The Jackson estate wants to make a 3D vision of the video, for release next year. Landis expects to be involved, although he has mixed emotions about it. "I think they're going to restore and convert Thriller, which they have to do with me, I own it, and that may be released theatrically next year . . . "They're going to figure every way they can to get money out of that poor dead guy." Torstar news service Michael Jackson - Video Greatest Hits - HIStory (Special Edition) DVD (1995) Directed by John Landis; Starring Michael Jackson; Sony | OLDIES.com John Landis Description by OLDIES.com: Here together for the first time are 10 of the most groundbreaking music videos of all time! Michael Jackson's short films take you on a wondrous journey through his incredible solo career.

Experience his unforgettable music and visual images, from the horror movie magic of "Thriller" to the morphing miracle of "Black Or White!" Also included are "Bad," "Billie Jean," "Rock With You," "Heal The World," "Beat It," "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough," "Remember The Time," and "The Way You Make Me Feel." Product Description: In connection with the release of Michael Jackson's "HIStory" album--a compilation of his greatest hits which spans the decades of his diverse, spectacular pop career, this release features Jackson's ten most famous short music films. Along with being one of the most successful pop stars of all time, Jackson also helped to revolutionize the music video art form, hiring Hollywood film directors like John Landis and Martin Scorsese to direct what are essentially short narrative films.

Included are the videos for "Billie Jean," "Thriller," and "Bad." Tracks: 4.The Way You Make Me Feel 5.Rock with You 10.Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough 11.Heal the World "Brace Yourself - A Kaleidoscope of Michael Jackson HIStory" "Billie Jean" "The Way You Make Me Feel" "Black or White" "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough" "Heal the World" "Carmina Burana," "Black or White," and "Remember the Time" produced by Propaganda Films. "The Way You Make Me Feel" and "Bad" produced by Optimum Productions. "Rock with You" produced by Jon Roseman Productions. "Beat It" produced by Giraldi Productions. "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" produced by United Sound & Picture. "Heal the World" produced by Pytka. Additional credits: Ute Leonhardt and Steve Lavy (producers "Carmina Burana"); Jane McCann (producer "The Way You Make Me Feel"); Mary Nesign (producer "Beat It"); Suellen Wagner and Vincent Joliet (producers "Heal the World").

Copyright 1995 MJJ Ventures, Inc. 29% OFF The 10 best Michael Jackson songs - AXS The 10 best Michael Jackson songs By: Shawn S. Lealos AXS Contributor Nov 26, 2014 2044271 485462 16541761 6 y2014m11d26 30205 YouTube Arguably, the most popular male pop singer of the '80s was Michael Jackson, someone who grew into legendary status as the King of Pop. He started out his career as a child music star with his brothers before becoming the most famous Jackson sibling to move on to a singles career. His personal life was mired in controversy but his music genius cannot be denied. Over his career, Jackson released 10 studio albums, including Thriller, which became the bestselling album of all time. He released 59 singles over his career and had a Top 10 single in four different decades, 13 of them reaching number one. Check out our list of Michael Jackson’s top 10 tracks and see where your favorites rank. 9.

Rock with You Heading way back into Jackson’s past, “Rock With You” was released in 1979 and was the second single off the Jackson album Off the Wall. This song was during Jackson’s disco era and was a huge hit, reaching the top spot on the Billboard pop and R&B charts. 8. Black or White Moving forward to the later stages of Jackson’s career, “Black or White” was from the Dangerous album, released as the first single in 1991. The song was harder than some of Jackson’s earlier music and was hugely successful. It reached the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in just three weeks, giving Jackson a number one hit in three different decades. 7. Bad The follow up to the very successful Thriller album came in 1987 with Bad and the title track helped Jackson elevate his career even more. The song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the video was directed by legendary film director Martin Scorsese and included a then-unknown Wesley Snipes. 6.

Smooth Criminal Another track from Bad that really helped Jackson move on from his Thriller says was the rocker “Smooth Criminal.” The song is about a woman by Annie who was attacked by a smooth criminal and peaked at No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. A fantastic cover of the song was later recorded by Alien Ant Farm. 5. The Way You Make Me Feel Also from Bad was the song “The Way You Make Me Feel,” which was the third song from the album to hit the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The song was meant to show Jackson in a lighter tone, more as a flirt than as a lover. 4. Beat It From the Thriller album, “Beat It” was a rocking song that is known for the contributions of Eddie Van Halen on guitar. The song won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year and Best Male Rock Vocal Performance and hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. 3. Billy Jean Another major hit from the Thriller album was “Billy Jean,” the second single released from the album and is one of the bestselling singles of all time.

It was two Grammy Awards and was really the song that helped Michael Jackson become the biggest pop artist in the world at the time. According to Jackson, the song is based on his view of groupies, and not actually based on a real event. 2. Man in the Mirror Moving back to Bad, “Man in the Mirror” was yet another number one song for Jackson as the fourth single from the album. When it comes to lyrics, this might be one of the best songs in Jackson’s career, although he didn’t personally write it. The song asks the listener to change the world by looking at what they need to fix themselves first. 1. Thriller It is impossible to separate the song “Thriller” from the video of the song. Directed by horror icon John Landis, the video is basically a mini horror movie where Michael Jackson and his girl are at the movies and she leaves because it is too scary. However, on the way home, he turns into a werewolf under the full moon and starts after her. It turns out to be a movie, but then when they leave, Michael turns into a zombie and the entire Thriller zombie dance starts. It is simply brilliant.

BIOGRAPHY: Michael Jackson Lifetime twitter BIOGRAPHY First taking to the stage at the age of just 11 as part of his family's gig The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson grew quickly into the superstardom which would both reward and plague his life. An apparently unstoppable creative and financial force through the highs of his career, 'The King of Pop' struggled with a confused and turbulent private life that was often made appallingly public. In the wake of his shock death though, it is for his artistry - and not his controversies - that he will be remembered and sadly missed. Jackson was born 29 August 1958, in Gary, Indiana, to an African-American working-class family. His father, Joseph Jackson, had been a guitarist but had put aside his musical aspirations to provide for his family as a crane operator. Believing his sons had talent, he molded them into a musical group in the early 1960s. At first, the Jackson Family performers consisted of Michael's older brothers Tito, Jermaine, and Jackie. Michael joined his siblings when he was five, and emerged as the group's lead vocalist.

He showed remarkable range and depth for such a young performer, impressing audiences with his ability to convey complex emotions. Older brother Marlon also became a member of the group, which evolved into the The Jackson 5. Behind the scenes, Joseph Jackson pushed his sons to succeed. He was also reportedly known to become violent with them. Michael and his brothers spent endless hours rehearsing and polishing up their act. At first, the Jackson 5 played local gigs and built a strong following. They recorded one single on their own, 'Big Boy' with the b-side 'You've Changed', but it failed to generate much interest. The Jackson 5 moved on to working an opening act for such R&B artists as Gladys Knight and the Pips, James Brown, and Sam and Dave. Many of these performers were signed to the legendary Motown record label, and it has been reported that Gladys Knight may have been the one to tell Motown founder Berry Gordy about the Jackson 5. Impressed by the group, Gordy signed them to his label in 1968. Relocating to Los Angeles, Michael and his brothers started work on their music and dancing with their father as their manager.

They lived with Gordy and also with Supremes singer Diana Ross when they first arrived there. In August 1969, the Jackson 5 was introduced to the music industry at a special event, and later served as the opening act for the Supremes. Their first album, 'Diana Ross Presents the Jackson 5', hit the charts in December of that year. It's first single, 'I Want You Back', hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in January 1970. More chart-topping singles quickly followed, such as 'ABC', 'The Love You Save', and 'I'll Be There'. At the age of 13, Jackson launched a solo career in addition to his work with the Jackson 5. He made the charts in 1971 with 'Got to Be There' from the album of the same name. His 1972 album, 'Ben', featured the eponymous ballad about a rat. The song became Jackson's first solo No. 1 single. For several years, Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5 maintained a busy tour and recording schedule, under the supervision of Berry Gordy and his Motown staff.

Gordy wrote many of the songs recorded by the group and by Michael Jackson as a solo artist. The group became so popular that they even had their own self-titled cartoon show, which ran from 1971 to 1973. Despite Jackson's individual achievements and the group's great success, there was trouble between the Jacksons and their record company. Tensions mounted between Gordy and Joseph Jackson over the management of his children's careers, and their level of participation in making their music. The Jacksons wanted more control over their recordings, which led to most of the Jacksons breaking ties with Motown in 1975. Jermaine Jackson remained with the label and continued to pursue a solo career, having previously released several albums—none of which had matched the success of his younger brother Michael. Now calling themselves the Jacksons, the group signed a new recording deal with Epic Records. With 1978's 'Destiny', Michael Jackson and his brothers (which by now included younger brother Randy) emerged as talented songwriters, penning all of the record's tracks.

Working with producer Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson wowed the music world with his next solo album, 1979's 'Off the Wall'. It featured an infectious blend of pop and funk with such hit tracks as the Grammy Award-winning 'Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough', 'Rock with You', and the title track. He also found success with the ballad 'She's Out Of My Life'. The overwhelmingly positive response to Michael's latest solo album also helped buoy the Jacksons' career as well. 'Triumph' (1980) sold more than one million copies, and the brothers went on an extensive tour to support the recording. Jackson, however, began to branch out on his own more. Teaming up with rock legend Paul McCartney, Jackson sang on their 1982 duet, 'The Girl Is Mine', which nearly reached the top of the pop charts. The song also appeared on his next solo album, 'Thriller' (1982), which generated seven top 10 hits. On a television special honoring Motown, Jackson performed 'Billie Jean'—eventually a number one hit—and debuted his soon-to-be-famous dance move called the moonwalk.

Jackson, a veteran performer by this time, choreographed the dance sequences for the video of his other No. 1 hit, 'Beat It'. His most elaborate video, however, was for the album's title track. John Landis directed the horror-tinged video, which featured complex dance scenes, special effects, and a voice-over done by actor Vincent Price. The video for 'Thriller' became immensely popular, boosting sales for the already successful album. It stayed on the charts for 80 weeks, holding the No. 1 spot for 37 weeks. In addition to its unparalleled commercial achievements, 'Thriller' earned 12 Grammy Award nominations and won eight of those awards. Jackson's Grammy victories showcased the diverse nature of his work. For his songwriting talents, he received the Grammy Award for Best Rhythm and Blues Song for 'Billie Jean'. Jackson also won Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male for 'Thriller' and Best Rock Vocal Performance, Male for 'Beat It'. With co-producer Quincy Jones, he shared the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. At the top of his game creatively and commercially, Jackson signed a $5 million endorsement deal with Pepsi-Cola around this time.

He, however, was badly injured while filming a commercial for the soda giant in 1984, suffering burns to his face and scalp. Jackson had surgery to repair his injuries, and is believed to have begun experimenting with plastic surgery around this time. His face, especially his nose, would become dramatically altered in the coming years. That same year, Jackson embarked on his final tour with the Jacksons to the support the album 'Victory'. The one major hit from the recording was Michael Jackson's duet with Mick Jagger, 'State of Shock'. In 1985, Jackson showed his altruistic side, co-writing and singing on 'We Are the World', a charity single for USA for Africa. A veritable who's who of music stars participated in the project including Lionel Ritchie, Ray Charles, Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson, Bruce Springsteen, and Tina Turner. Releasing his follow-up to 'Thriller' in 1987, Jackson reached the top of the charts with 'Bad'. It featured five No. 1 hits, including 'Man in the Mirror', 'The Way You Make Me Feel', and the title track, which was supported by a video directed by Martin Scorsese.

Jackson spent more than a year on the road, playing concerts to promote the album. While successful, 'Bad' was unable to duplicate the phenomenal sales of Thriller. Raised as a Jehovah's Witness, Jackson was a shy and quiet person off-stage. He was never truly comfortable with the media attention he received and rarely gave interviews. By the late 1980s, Jackson had created his own fantasy retreat—a California ranch called Neverland. There he kept exotic pets, such as a chimpanzee named Bubbles, and had his own amusement rides. To some, it seemed that Jackson perhaps was exploring a second childhood. He sometimes opened up the ranch for children's events. Rumors swirled around him, including that he was lightening the color of his skin to appear more white and slept in a special chamber to increase his life span. In 1991, Jackson released 'Dangerous', featuring the hit 'Black or White'. The video for this song included an appearance by child star Macaulay Culkin, and was directed by John Landis. In the video's final minutes, Jackson caused some controversy with his sexual gesturing and violent actions. Many were surprised to see the Peter Pan-like Jackson act in this manner.

Jackson's music continued to enjoy wide-spread popularity in the upcoming years. In 1993, he performed several important events, including the half-time show at Superbowl XXVII. Jackson gave a rare television interview, which aired that February. Sitting down with Oprah Winfrey, he explained that the change in his skin tone was the result of a disease known as vitiligo. Jackson also opened about the abuse he suffered from his father. Allegations of child molestation against Jackson emerged later that year. A 13-year-old boy claimed that the music star had fondled him. Jackson was known to have sleepovers with boys at his Neverland Ranch, but this was the first public charge of wrongdoing. The police searched the ranch, but they found no evidence to support the claim. The following year, Jackson settled the case out of court with the boy's family. Other allegations emerged, but Jackson maintained his innocence. In August 1994, Jackson announced that he had married Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of rock icon Elvis Presley. The couple gave a joint television interview with Diane Sawyer, but the union proved to be short-lived. They divorced in 1996.

Some thought that the marriage was a publicity ploy to restore Jackson's image after the molestation allegations. Later that same year, Jackson wed nurse Debbie Rowe. The couple had two children through artificial insemination. Son Prince Michael Jackson was born in 1997 and daughter Paris Michael Jackson was born in 1998. Rowe and Jackson divorced in 1999 with Jackson receiving full custody of their two children. He would go on to have a third child, Prince Michael Jackson II, with an unknown surrogate. Jackson's musical career began to decline with the lukewarm reception to 1995's 'HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I', which featured some of his earlier hits as well as new material. The record spawned two hits, 'You Are Not Alone' and his duet with sister Janet Jackson, 'Scream'. 'Scream' earned Michael and Janet a Grammy Award for Best Music Video, Short Form that year. Another track from the album, 'They Don't Care About Us', however, brought Jackson intense criticism for using an anti-Semitic term.

By the release of 2001's 'Invincible', Jackson was better known as an eccentric whose quirks were reported in the tabloids than as a performer. The album sold well, but stories of his odd behavior started to overshadow his talent. He often appeared in public wearing a surgical mask, and he hid his children's faces under veils. In 2002, Jackson made headlines when he seemed confused and disoriented on stage at an MTV awards show. Soon after, he received enormous criticism for dangling his son, Prince Michael II, over a balcony while greeting fans in Berlin, Germany. In a later interview, Jackson explained that "We were waiting for thousands of fans down below, and they were chanting they wanted to see my child, so I was kind enough to let them see. I was doing something out of innocence." But many were unforgiving of the star's behavior, with former fans and media outlets clamouring to have Child Protective Services take Jackson's children from him. Jackson's reputation was served another blow in 2003 with the television documentary, 'Living with Michael Jackson'. British journalist Martin Bashir spent several months with Jackson, and he got Jackson to discuss his relationships with children.

He admitted that he continued to have children sleepover at his ranch, even after the 1993 allegations. Jackson said that sometimes he slept with the children in his bed. "Why can't you share your bed? That's the most loving thing to do, to share your bed with someone," Jackson told Bashir. Jackson faced more legal woes in 2004 when he was arrested on charges related to incidents with a 13-year-old boy the previous year. Facing 10 counts in all, he was charged with lewd conduct with a minor, attempted lewd conduct, administering alcohol to facilitate molestation, and conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. The resulting 2005 trial was a media circus with fans, detractors, and camera crews surrounding the courthouse. More than 130 people testified, including Macaulay Culkin who appeared on Jackson's behalf. He said that he had been friends with Jackson as a young teen. While he had stayed over at the Neverland Ranch, he told the court that Jackson never tried to molest him. Jackson's accuser also appeared via videotape and described how Jackson had given him wine and molested him.

On 14 June 2005, Jackson was acquitted of all charges. His reputation, however, was effectively destroyed, and his finances were in shambles. Thanks to mounting legal bills, the singer no longer had a bank account and was unable to maintain even his most basic finances. Jackson soon found refuge in his friendship with the prince of Bahrain, Prince Salman Bin Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa, who wired Jackson the money needed to pay Neverland's utility bills. He then invited the pop star to his country as a personal guest. In Bahrain, the prince provided Jackson with more than $7 million, not including living expenses. He also built the singer a recording studio, hired him a "motivational guru" and helped Jackson to entertain family at Christmas. In return, Jackson promised to collaborate with the prince on a new album on Al-Khalifa's record label, as well as write an autobiography, and create a stage play. None of the work materialised, however, and Jackson soon faced litigation from his friend for reneging on his promises. In even greater financial straits, Jackson defaulted on the $23.5 million loan owed on his Neverland Ranch in 2008.

Unable to part with certain items, including the crystal gloves he used in performances, Jackson sued to block the auction of some of his personal items from the home the following year. Around this same time, the largely reclusive Jackson announced that he would be performing a series of concerts in London as his "final curtain call." There had been some speculation regarding whether the fragile singer would be able to handle the rigors of 50 concerts. Despite all of the allegations and stories of odd behavior, Jackson remained a figure of great interest, as demonstrated by the strong response to his concert plans; set to appear at the O2 Arena in London, England, beginning 8 July 2009, Jackson saw all the tickets to his 'This Is It' tour sell out in only four hours. But Jackson would never get to experience the success of his comeback tour. On 25 June 2009, Jackson suffered cardiac arrest in his Los Angeles home. He was rushed to the hospital after his heart stopped and CPR attempts failed, but he died later that morning. He was 50-years-old at the time of his death. News of Jackson's death resulted in an outpouring of public grief and sympathy.

Memorials to Jackson were erected around the world, including one at the arena where he was set to perform and another at his childhood home in Gary, Indiana. On 12 July 2009, a televised memorial was held for fans of the King of Pop at the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. While 17,500 free tickets were issued to fans via lottery, more than an estimated one billion viewers watched the memorial on television and the Internet. The Jackson family held a private funeral on 3 September 2009, for the immediate family and 200 guests at Forest Lawn Memorial park in Los Angeles. The celebrity mourners included former child star Macaulay Culkin, ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley, and actress Elizabeth Taylor. A film documenting Jackson's preparations for his final performance entitled 'This Is It', hit theaters in October of 2009. The film, featuring a compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of Michael Jackson, made $23 million in its opening weekend and sky-rocketed to No. 1 at the box office.

'This Is It' would go on to make more than $260.8 million worldwide, and become the highest grossing documentary of all time. With this final tribute, the family hoped to finally have closure on the passing of Michael Jackson. But in February 2010, the coroner released an official report detailing the cause of Jackson's death. The results revealed that the singer died from "acute propofol intoxication." The overdose worked in combination with a number of other sedatives to shut down the star's weakened heart. Jackson reportedly used the drugs, with the aid of personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray, to help him sleep in the evenings. He was also reported to have a dependency on the painkiller, demerol and may have been taking sedatives to help him withdraw from the drug. Conrad later told police that he believed Jackson had developed a particular addiction to propofol, which Jackson referred to as his "milk". He had the drug administered by I.V. in the evenings in 50 mg dosages, and Murray was attempting to ween the pop star off the drug at the time of Jackson's death.

A police investigation revealed that Murray was not licensed to prescribe most controlled drugs in the state of California. The steps he took to save Jackson also came under scrutiny, as evidence showed that the standard of care for administering propofol was not met, and the recommended equipment for patient monitoring, precision dosing and resuscitation were not present. As a result, Jackson's death was ruled a homicide, and Murray found himself at the center of an involuntary manslaughter investigation. The Jackson family also began pursuing measures that would have Murray's medical license revoked. The family is in continuing litigation with Murray. Meanwhile, the Jackson family has attempted to move forward with their lives. As dictated in his will, Jackson's children were placed in the care of their grandmother, Katherine Jackson. In respect to their father's wishes, Paris, Prince Michael and Prince Michael II (also known as "Blanket") have been kept largely out of the limelight, appearing publicly only a few times in the last year. They stepped up to the mic in 2009 to speak to fans at their father's funeral, and again in January 2010 to accept a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for their father at the Grammys.

Two albums of unreleased material have been released, the first, entitled 'Michael' was released in 2010 and 'Xscape' was released in 2014.

Question: John Landis directed a famous video for which of Michael Jackson's hits?
Answer: Thriller